ZENN claims they will launch EEStor-powered EV in fall 2009

At ZENN annual shareholder meeting in Toronto yesterday, company officials made a big announcement about their plans to move beyond mere neighborhood electric vehicles. They plan to launch a model called the cityZENN which will be a fully certified electric car with 80 mph top speed and 250-mile range. The most important element of the cityZENN is the use of EEStor ultra-capacitors to store electrical energy. ZENN is claiming five minute recharge capability for the EEStor energy storage system. However, don't expect to do five minute recharges at home. Just as with fast charging batteries from the likes of Altairnano, putting that much energy in the capacitors so quickly requires very high current and voltage, much more than is available from any regular outlet. It will also take a very thick cable to provide sufficiently low resistance.

In other news, the existing NEV range will get new four passenger and utility versions added. ZENN also plans to work with some OEMs to produce vehicles with a ZENNergy drive-train (electric drive with EEStor storage) and branded as ZENN vehicles for sale. No word on exactly when that will happen. There's also a recording of the meeting available at the ZENNcars.com web site. You'll need to register and have RealPlayer installed to listen.

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